


Pilot

by cold_nights_summer_days



Series: Where You Lead (I Will Follow) [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting, Mild Angst, Not Canon Compliant, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Poptarts, Precious Peter Parker, Tony Stark Centric, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark is Lorelai Gilmore dont @ me, im so excited about it, no canon in this house, no sir, this is a gilmore girls au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 02:11:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21129065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cold_nights_summer_days/pseuds/cold_nights_summer_days
Summary: UPDATE: If you are reading this fic on any platform other than the Archive, such as any of the app store/google play apps that are only accesible behind a paywall, this work is available for free on archiveofourown.com.Due to popular demand the Gilmore Girls Au has become a tangible thing!ORAfter running away from home with a kid at sixteen, the last thing he wants to do is ask his parents for help. But with his kid's future on the line, he doesn't have much of an option.





	Pilot

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I posted a thing on Tumblr last night contemplating the idea of an irondad gilmore girls au. . . and now here it is! I decided to write it today after seeing all of the notes pour into my inbox! I would like to give a special thanks to everyone who responded with ideas and encouragement for me to write (doctornineandthreequarters even sent me my first ask!) I'm so excited to share this with you guys I can't even tell you!! If this goes well, we may be looking at weekly one shots following the plot of Gilmore girls ;) 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Peter, hurry up! We have to leave in like five minutes!” Tony shouted, grabbing two napkins from the cabinet. Three seconds later the toaster dinged to let him know that breakfast (or what they considered to be breakfast) was done. Tony swore as he grabbed the Poptarts, the hot pastry burning his fingers.

A moment later Peter came barreling into the kitchen. He barely had time to ask if breakfast was done before a Poptart was shoved into his face. “Son of a bitch that’s hot.”

“Language!”

“Oh, come on, dad, you just said that!”

“No, I didn’t.” Tony shook his head. If he admitted the truth, he would have to put a dollar in the swear jar and all he had on him right now was change. There was no way in hell he would sit there and count out a hundred pennies while Peter snickered behind him.

“I heard you as I was coming down the stairs. You can’t lie to me.”

“I can lie to you. The question is whether you would believe me or not.”

“Well you did lie and I didn’t believe you, so that’s settled.” Peter said, shooting his dad a smug look before walking out of the kitchen. Tony could have sworn that his face was even more smug when he came back in holding the nearly full swear jar. 

“Pay up. It’s only fair.”

“You swore too, you have to put a dollar in,” Tony argued. It didn’t really matter in the end because when the jar was full they would take the money and go see a movie or something together. (and if we’re being honest, they both started to swear more when the jar was almost filled just so they could do something sooner.)

“Okay, but only because I’m not a liar.”

“Sass is off the charts today. I’d hate to be a freshman in the same hallway as you.”

“Then it’s a good thing you aren’t, old man.”

“Just hush and eat your Poptart. And you know what, I was going to pretend I hadn’t noticed that you’d stolen my leather jacket, but now I want it back.”

“. . . I love you?” Peter tried. He even used the best doe eyes he could muster, knowing for sure that his dad couldn’t say no. He was proved right when Tony sighed and ruffled his hair.

“I love you too, kiddo.”

They both made sure to stick a dollar in the jar on the way out the door and eagerly talked about the plans for the money in the car. Peter thought they should go to Hartford and check out the new Italian restaurant that had just opened. According to the critics the lasagna was a must have and the breadsticks were to die for. Peter argued that since breadsticks were involved it was a no brainer. Tony laughed and agreed.

After dropping Peter off at Stars Hollow High, he drove across the square to Pepper’s. It had been over twenty minutes since his first cup of coffee, and in his opinion, that was far too long. The bell rung as Tony opened the door, drawing the diner’s attention to him until they remembered they had better things to do.

He chose a seat at the counter like he usually did when he came here alone and picked up the menu even though he wasn’t ordering anything from it.

“Coffee, I’m assuming?” Pepper asked from behind the counter, mug already in hand. Tony nodded as she poured his drink and downed half of it as soon as she set it down.

“I honestly don’t know how you do that,” She laughed, scrunching her nose at him. Tony liked Pepper. As Peter would say (childishly), he “liked liked” Pepper. Peter also insisted that the entire town knew about it and was even rooting for him, whatever the hell that meant. “How does anyone drink coffee plain? It’s so bitter.”

“Because it’s good. I don’t know how you drink all these weird drinks that definitely aren’t coffee. Like a cappuccino? What even is that?”

“It’s delicious. It’s just coffee and steamed milk,”

“That’s gross.”

“Fine,” Pepper sighed. “I’m not going to argue because I know its pointless.”

“Exactly. Because black coffee is better than a cappuccino.”

Pepper shot Tony a playful smirk before disappearing into the kitchen and coming back with a tray of fresh blueberry muffins. Tony’s favourite. And while he knew that she didn’t do it because she knew they were his favourite the thought still made his heart skip a beat.

He swiped one off the tray as she passed. Pepper pretended not to notice what he had done as she put the muffins in the display case and returned the pan to the kitchen. This was the way they worked. Tony would break the rules (most often the no phones in the diner rule) and Pepper would pretend not to notice while reprimanding someone else for doing the very same thing. Maybe the other townsfolk would be more upset about it if they weren’t too busy thinking the whole concept was adorable.

Soon enough, though, Tony had to leave for work. His shift at the inn started at nine and it was nearly 08:50. Luckily the inn was close enough to Pepper’s that he could avoid being late. Otherwise the night manager (a very unpleasant man named Justin Hammer) would be cross with him. Not that he cared about Justin’s opinion, but life was always easier with one less headache involved, and Justin was a hell of a headache.

“Did you get the mail?” Peter asked when Tony was barely through the front door. He was sitting on the couch with a book that looked like it weighed just as much as he does. Tony made a comment about “not even getting a hello first” and hung his coat in the closet before answering Peter’s question. He considered it payback for this morning.

“Yeah. There’s this fancy looking envelope, but I have no idea what it could be,” Tony said dramatically. The only fancy thing about the envelope was the name written on front. It was the letter from Chilton, a fancy private school in Hartford. Peter needed a far greater challenge than Stars Hollow High could provide him with, and Chilton was the answer. It was the closest school Tony could find that he could afford with severe budgeting.

They had been eagerly waiting for a few weeks for the confirmation of Peter’s spot at the school. Now that they were holding the answer in their hands they almost didn’t want to know. Not knowing at all meant that they couldn’t say no. Although, with Peter’s grades and extracurriculars his admittance was a guarantee.

Peter made the first move, opened the envelope, and pulled out the letter. His eyes scanned over the paper quickly before his expression slowly shifted into one of happiness.

“I got in!”

“I knew you would, kid. You’re too smart for them to turn down.”

Tony leaned across the worn couch to envelop Peter in a bone crushing hug and tried to banish the pit in his stomach. This was supposed to be a happy moment, but when Tony had a chance to read over the letter he saw the terrible words, “In order for Peter to start at the beginning of the next quarter the down payment as well as the first semesters tuition must be sent to the office by the end of next week.”

The down payment was four thousand dollars. Tony could handle that, he’d been prepared for it, actually. It was the first semesters tuition that was a problem. First semesters tuition was eight thousand dollars that Tony didn’t have. He only had four days to get that together . . . there was no way he could do that. Who was he going to ask for help? His parents?

What a laughable idea.

Rhodey, however, didn’t think it was so laughable. He was the first person Tony talked to the next day. It was a Saturday, which meant Peter wouldn’t be up until ten, so Tony showed up at Rhodey’s house at eight expecting answers to his problems.

Of course, Rhodey wasn’t up at eight either, so Tony ended up using the key he found under the welcome mat and let himself in. After that he made coffee and sat in the living room until his best friend woke up and found his way downstairs. When Rhodey found him on the couch he nearly fainted.

“Good god,” Rhodey said, clutching his chest dramatically. Tony would have laughed if his mind wasn’t so full of worry.

“I have a problem,” Tony said bluntly.

“Yeah, breaking into people’s houses before noon on a Saturday.”

“I didn’t break in. There was a key under the doormat. Very cliché by the way, platypus. You should probably find a new hiding spot.”

“I’ll add it to my to-do list, along with get a new best friend. What’s the problem?”

“Peter got into Chilton,” The words that would normally have been excited were worried and dull. Rhodey felt the same way because gave Tony a confused look. Tony quickly explained the money situation.

“You could ask your parents.” He suggested, shrugging his shoulders. “I know that’s not the answer you wanted, but that’s the only option I can see.”

“I know. They don’t even like him, though! My dad thinks Peter was a mistake and totally derailed my life. Mom doesn’t hate him, but she definitely doesn’t like him either.”

“I don’t know, man. It couldn’t hurt to ask, could it?”

Tony sighed, knowing there was no way around this. If he wanted Peter to have a good education he would have to put aside his own feelings and talk to Howard. Just the very thought of his face made his blood boil. Peter had only been six the last time they had spoken. It was the first and last year the pair had been invited to the Stark Christmas party, not that they would ever want to go again.

Tony turned around for one minute when a particularly bothersome business partner of his father’s wouldn’t leave him alone, and when he turned back, Peter was gone. Peter had wandered off, as many six year olds tended to do, but that wasn’t the issue. Peter had wandered off and into Howard’s study. In and of itself that was disastrous, but the true icing on the cake was the expensive vase Peter broke.

Seeing the door propped open, Howard had set out to investigate. He found Peter standing on a stool by the wall of bookcases trying to reach one the size of his head. Howard yelled, Peter fell off the stool. He tried to run out the door and bumped a display table on the way that sent a family heirloom tumbling to the floor. All Tony had to do was follow the shouts of, “You undisciplined brat!” and “I’m going to teach you what your father failed to!” until he found Peter surrounded by broken glass and Howard’s hand poised to strike.

There had never been a louder yelling match than the one that followed that event. Peter cried the whole way home and they never went back. 

Surely his parents would say no, but this was the only option Tony had left bar prostitution. Somehow, Tony figured that Peter wouldn’t like that very much.

Tony stood at the front door of his parent’s overly large house with anxiety and anger coursing through his veins. Every cell in his body protested against knocking on the door. He couldn’t back out though. He’d already called and told his parents he needed to meet with them tonight and they would be angrier with him for flaking out than asking for money.

Tony steeled himself before knocking on the solid wood door, unsurprised when a maid opened it rather than his family. They always did think that basic chores and pleasantries were below them. The maid took his coat before directing him to the living room. She also informed him that the Starks would be in soon and he absently wondered if she knew that he was their son. They certainly didn’t go around blasting that information after he got a girl pregnant and ran away with the baby at sixteen.

The living room hadn’t changed a bit since the last time Tony was here. Same ugly portraits on the walls, same floral furniture. Even the knickknacks remained the same. How did one go nine years without anything changing? If the room was an indicator of his father’s opinions then Tony was sure this night was going to be a waste of his time.

_Forget about you. This is for Peter_. Tony repeated to himself under his breath. _Peter. This is for Peter._

“I see you haven’t outgrown your childish mannerisms,” Howard said sharply, jolting Tony from his thoughts. He didn’t want to dignify the statement with an answer.

“Tonight isn’t about me.” He responded. It was more for himself than his father, but it worked for that too.

“Really? Then who?”

“Its about my son.” He said. He could see his father’s jaw tighten. So he definitely was still mad at a six year old for panicking after being screamed at for no reason. Predicable. “He was accepted into Chilton this week.”

“Let me guess. You need money?” Howard said, sounding tired and irritated as he poured himself a brandy at the bar. He didn’t bother to offer Tony anything. Before Tony could speak again, his mother dashed into the room.

“Howard have you seen the . . .” Maria said, trailing off when she saw her son on the sofa. Shock was evident in her features. She hadn’t expected him to actually come after all these years.

“He needs money.”

“Yes, but—”

“There is no but. The fact is that you need money, and you must be desperate to come to us of all people. Bank turn you down?”

“No. Chilton—”

“Is Peter going to Chilton?” Maria interrupted. Tony wanted to throw something. Why did talking to his parents have to be like pulling teeth? It was painful and overrated.

“Hopefully. They’re asking for the first semesters tuition as well as the down payment and I can’t afford both. I have to have them by the end of next week. There’s no time for me to get approved for a loan.”

“Why should we help you?”

“I’ll pay it back. I swear, every cent, I’ll pay it back. This is my only shot to get Peter into a good school so that he can go to the college he wants to.”

Howard joined Maria on the sofa across from Tony. They stared at him with the eyes of vultures. Did a long pause mean they were considering saying yes or the meanest way to say no? Finally after several minutes of whispered conversation between the two of them, Maria spoke.

“We’ll lend you the money, but if we’re going to be involved in your life financially, I want to know what’s going on. Weekly phone calls and weekly dinners. That’s the final offer.”

_It’s for Peter_. “Yes.”

The ride to the Stark mansion next week was painfully silent. Peter had been utterly confused when his dad came home on Friday and told him to change because they were going to his grandparents’ house for dinner. . . the very same grandparents that hated his guts. It was even more confusing when his dad refused to tell him why they were going. The two had no secrets.

Nevertheless, here they were, sitting in the driveway of a too expensive house filled with too mean people.

“I don’t remember it being this big,” Peter said eventually, desperately wanting to put an end to the awkward silence that had settled in the car the moment they started driving. The only memory he had of this place was filled with tears.

“I don’t either. I swear it gets bigger every time I see it.” Tony agreed. Still, neither one made an effort to get out of the car. The car, even cold, was a far preferable option to being inside the ever-growing house.

It was Peter who opened the door first, eager to have this night over with. Dinner couldn’t take that long could it? It was only dinner, after all. Boy oh boy, was Peter in for a rude awakening. Tony waited before ringing the doorbell. He could tell that Peter was trying not to say anything and that he also desperately wanted to go home.

He wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulder and pulled him closer. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I promise I’ll explain later. And I’ll try to get us out of there as soon as possible.”

Peter nodded and swallowed his anxiety. They couldn’t do anything while his dad was there. And with that, Tony rang the doorbell and they were greeted by the same maid he had been greeted by last Sunday. She looked slightly surprised to see him again. Did everyone in this household constantly expect him to not show up?”

“Mr. and Mrs. Stark are in the living room already.” She said, taking their coats to be hung. They couldn’t escape if they didn’t know where their coats were. Tony led Peter to the living room, keeping a grounding hand on his shoulder until they were sitting. Howard stared at the pair of them with distaste while Maria was mixing drinks at the bar.

“Would you boys like anything to drink?” She asked, turning to smile at them. She was actually making an attempt at making them feel welcome. Peter tried to smile back but it turned out more like a grimace. It might have been funny if the situation wasn’t so terrible.

“Two waters, please.” Tony answered.

“No alcohol?” Howard questioned. Tony shook his head. Even though a martini would certainly make this night easier for him he preferred to stay sober when he was the one driving.

Maria brought them each a water before settling herself next to her husband with a club soda. The four stared at each other quietly. Peter was afraid that he would get in trouble for simply speaking, not to mention that their only shared experience was definitely not a talking point.

“Have you gotten your uniform for Chilton yet?” Maria was the first to break the awkward silence. Peter nodded, unable to force words out of his mouth. 

“She asked you a question, Peter. The polite response is to answer,” Howard sniped. Tony swore he was doing his best to get punched.

“He did answer,” Tony defended. He kept his voice quiet to avoid starting a yelling match. That wasn’t to say he wouldn’t finish one if his dad started it, though.

“Not properly.”

“He did. I don’t know what you want from me, dad. You asked us to be here and were here. We didn’t come to get yelled at.”

“Nobody’s yelling, Anthony.” Howard said. Tony wished he had never agreed to this, but the check was sent. It was too late to back out now.

“Is it time for dinner yet? I think it is.” Maria interjected, setting her glass on the coffee table as she rose. This was one of her classic moves from Tony’s childhood. Leave the situation before it could escalate. Classic.

Dinner was atrocious. Well, the dinner conversation was atrocious. The actual dinner itself, roasted duck with asparagus, was delicious. Peter was too nervous to eat more than a few bites and Tony was too busy keeping an eye on his dad to notice it.

They weren’t allowed to leave until dessert and coffee, and by the time that was over it was truly clear nobody in the room was in the mood to fake pleasantries anymore. Thank god. If Tony had to hear his mother try to keep the conversation alive any longer he might stab himself with his own fork.

Peter didn’t talk again until they had pulled onto the highway. “You said you would explain why we had to go later,” He reminded Tony. He’d rather have this conversation at home, but he supposed the car worked just as well.

“I had to ask them for help with your first semesters tuition at Chilton. The only way I could get them to help me, and by extension, get you into a good school, was agreeing to a weekly dinner with them.”

“Oh.” Was all Peter said. Guilt twisted in his stomach at the idea of his dad doing all this to get him into a good school. Tony never talked about his parents, but Peter knew how he felt about them.

“I’ll tell them you aren’t coming next week, though. I don’t want to put you through that again. I shouldn’t have in first place.”

“I’ll go. I don’t want you to have to go alone.” He made the decision quickly, not wanting to give himself an option of backing out. If Tony couldn’t back out then neither could he.

“Peter, its okay. I can handle them.”

“No. You’re doing this all for me, I can’t make you go by yourself. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah, dad, I’m sure. I’m sure it’ll get better eventually.”

“I hope so.” Tony sighed. He glanced over at Peter and wondered how on earth he ended up with such a perfect kid.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did writing it! Follow me on tumblr (unfathomable-universe) for updates as well as other marvel (primarily irondad) content :) If you want more like this you can check out my other series, Star-Verse, Stardust, and You Don't Have To Worry Anymore.
> 
> Don't forget to leave kudos and comments if you enjoyed this. Comments always make my day and inspire me to write!
> 
> Until next time, have a wonderful day!


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